1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to a disposable bait box containing a pre-moistened worm bedding, and more particularly to a cardboard bait box formed from a single blank and having a four-layered bottom and three-layered top for holding a nutrient laden pre-moistened worm bedding.
2. Background Art
Almost since the development of the barbed fish hook, man has used the lowly earthworm as bait when fishing. The traditional way of obtaining an adequate supply of earthworms was to take a shovel and dig in the ground until an adequate supply was uncovered and captured. As in the case of other of man's endeavors, a commercial industry has developed in the United States to supply earthworms as bait for fishermen.
Today, most earthworms that are used as bait by sport fishermen are purchased at bait shops or roadside stands located in the vicinity where the fisherman intends to be fishing. These earthworms are raised commercially and earthworm farms ranging in size from the small cottage industry located in a garage behind a house all the way to large commercial facilities which produce earthworms by the ton. The typical commercial production facility utilizes containers of some sort to hold worm bedding, which provides a suitable environment for the growth and reproduction of earthworms. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,646,682 and 4,815,416, both teach worm containers suitable for use in growing earthworms. Worms grown in these commercial facilities are then harvested by use of a device which separates the earthworms from the bedding, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,946. The technology utilized in the commercial growth of earthworms is a bit more sophisticated than it would at first appear. The earthworm bedding must provide a suitable environment containing adequate levels of moisture, organic material and microbial growth upon which the earthworm feeds.
The real problem lies in the point of purchase packaging where the earthworms are sold to sport fishermen for use as bait. Typically the earthworms are contained in small containers and sold in lots of ten or twelve. These containers contain small amounts of bedding and are usually stored in a refrigerated case. Under current practice it is up to the sport fisherman to provide his own container for the bait once purchased.
The point of purchase container is usually not adequate for even intermediate term survival of the earthworms contained therein. The amount of bedding and its protection from the environment is so limited that the earthworms contained in it can and often die within an hour or two unless transferred into a more protected and suitable environment. This poses a problem for the sport fisherman intending a multi-day fishing trip since the supply of bait may not survive the entire trip. The typical solution is either that the sport fisherman purchases fresh bait each day or invests in a bait box such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,879.
In recent years attempts have been made to provide inexpensive, disposable bait boxes and bedding systems for use by sport fishermen. Almost invariably these containers are formed of plastic so as to be impervious to bedding moisture and contain, at their point of purchase location, a dried bedding, usually shredded paper, to which the sport fisherman adds water to form a suitable bedding.
The problems with these attempted solutions are three-fold. The first, the plastic containers are bulky and difficult to dispose of. If improperly dropped along the roadside or left behind at the fishing site, they create unsightly and permanent, non-degradable, litter.
The second, is that the worm bedding is not ready for immediate use merely upon the addition of water to it. In fact, most commercial dry bedding preparations offered for sale are accompanied by instructions that earthworms are not to be deposited into the bedding for at least twenty-four hours after it has been moistened. The reason is that domestic water supplies are used to moisten the bedding, and, in the summer time, most domestic water supplies are heavily chlorinated. Heavily chlorinated water is fatal to earthworms and as a result there is a requirement that the moistened bedding be allowed to stand unused in the air for at least twenty-four hours to allow the entrained chlorine to escape. In addition, some of these beddings do not contain the necessary nutrients, microbial growth and organic material necessary for sustained survival of earthworms, and as a result, even if properly moistened, will not keep the earthworms alive for more than a few days. And finally, certain beddings, particularly those made solely of shredded paper can heat up when water is added.
A third problem with plastic earthworm containers involves the fact that earthworms require a cool environment. Temperatures above 70.degree. F. are generally lethal to earthworms. Thus, if a plastic bait box were to be left exposed to sunlight during the day, either on the fishing bank or in a vehicle, the temperature of the bedding will rapidly rise and the earthworms will be destroyed.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive, biodegradable, bait box. It is a second object of this invention to provide a bait box system which contains a pre-moistened, non-chlorinated bedding having the necessary nutrients, microbial population and organic material for intermediate earthworm storage. It is another object of this invention to provide a cardboard bait box which can be formed from a single sheet blank which is relatively impervious to moisture and escape proof as it relates to earthworms.